Electric blowpipe lighter



April 7- 1.. w. YOUNG 2,076,691

ELECTRI C- BLOWPI PE LIGHTER Filed May 29, 1955 INVENTOR LLOYD W. YOUNG ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 13, 1937 UNITED STATES PAT ENT OFFICE bymesne assignor, cuts, to Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation, a corporation of New York Application May 29, 1935, Serial No. 24,008 Claims. v(Cl. 175-91) This invention relates to electric lighters ior gas-consuming appliances, and more particularly to an electric lighter for blowpipes. The invention is especially useful in connection with port- 5 able blowplpe lighters, to which application/how ever, the invention is not limited.

In the operation of blowpipes and the like, it

is sometimes undesirable 'or inadvisable to enrploy a pilot flame or hand operated means for lighting the blowpipe. In the past, where electric igniting means has been employed, it has usually been necessary toinclude the blowpipe itself in the igniting circuit, with the corresponding inconvenience of the electric cables attached to the blowpipe. Alternatively, it has been necessary to provide separate stationary igniting apparatus in a fixed location, which may restrict the locality in which. the blowpipe may be used. Furthermore, such separate igniting apparatus has generally required manipulative skill of some sort on the part of the operator in order to pro duce the desired igniting spark at the proper point on the blowpipe tip. In a few instances, it has been proposed to employ separate portable igniting apparatus, but such constructions have generally depended for their action upon movable parts, which have made the apparatus too delicate tor the rough usage to which it is necessarily subjected in practice. Finally, in most igniting devices, the terminals have been unprotected, and therefore, subject to inadvertent short circuiting and danger to the device.

One object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a blowpipe lighter, which may easilybe constructed inportable form and entire "separate from the blowpipe. Another object is provide such a construction in a form which will not require any special skill on the part of the blowpipe operator in order to ignite the blowpipe. A

'40 further object is to provide such an apparatus in a convenient and rugged form which will not easily become damaged in ordinary service be cause oi! unprotected terminals or movable parts.

50 partly in section, a blowpipe lighter constructed in accordance with the invention Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the lighter illustrated in Fig. 1, as viewed from the right; and

Fig.3 is a perspective view of the blowpipe 55 lighter including its connections.

Generally speaking, the improved electric lighter comprises a pair of metal terminal plates P, P which are connected to a suitable electric current supply circuit and are so spaced apart that the gas delivery nozzle N of a blowpipe B or the like 5 may first be bridged across the gap between the plates and then withdrawn from contact therewith to produce a spark to light the gas issuing from the nozzle N. Portions of these plates prei-. erably are so inclined toward one another that 10 they will provide a trough-like structure having at its bottom a longitudinal gap, so that the blowpipe nozzle may be guided into position to bridge tangular block R of insulating material, as'by 25 metal screws I3, i3 which pass'through theblo'ck R and the feet l2, l2 and are rigidly secured in place by nuts it, It.

v To prevent accidental short circuiting of the plates P, P, they are preferably mounted within 30 and close to the open end of, but spaced from a casing C, as by securing the block or base R. to and inside of the casing far enough back from the open end of the casing so that the trough-like terminal structure will be located entirely within 35 the casing but will be accessible through said open end for the insertion of the bloWP l e nozzle N into position to bridge the gap G.

A suitable electric current converter K, such as an induction coil or a transformer, is also mount- 40 ed within the casing C and has its low tension terminals connected to the plates P, P through the screws l3, l3. Electric current of suitable amperage and voltage may be'supplied to the converter K by conductors l5, it connected through a switch S to an attachment plug H that is adapted to be plugged into a wall socket or the like. The casing C may be of metal or 01' insulating material and is preferably provided with perforations It to ventilate and thus cool the converter K and also to permit the escape of any gas which may flow into the casing from the nozzle N.

As illustrated in the present embodiment the electric current converter K comprises a primary coil l1 and a secondary coil i8 inductively associated and disposed within the casing C. The primary and secondary coils are, of course, carefully insulated from each other, as by insulation H9. The secondary coil, here illustrated as the outer coil, is insulated from the casingby insulation 28. Spacer members 21 are shown as holding the coils firmly in place at a slight distance from the casing C in order to afford free lo circulation of air between the coils and the casing.

As has already been indicated current is supplied to the primary coil through the conductors i5, iii. The secondary coil is connected by brackets 22, 22 with the block or base R by means of thenuts ii. The brackets 22, 22 are preferably of copper, brass or other metal and are in electrical contact with the screws l3, l3 and hence in electrical contact with the plates P, P.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that when the plug H is attached into an electric feed socket and the switch S is closed, the primary coll H of the converter K will be energized and will inductively influence the sec- 25 ondary coil i8. Accordingly, when a metal part is inserted in the trough formed by the terminal plates P, P and pushed toward the bottom thereof until it touches both angles it will short circult the terminals of the secondary electric circuit, thus causing a spark. A second spark will be caused as the metal part is removed. Thus a blowpipe N so inserted will produce a spark at its tip; and if a combustible gas mixture issues from the tip, it will be ignited bythis spark. x in order to prevent \dirt from falling into the open ended trough and clogging the same and also to prevent metal objects and'particles from entering between the terminals and short circuiting them, it is preferred to maintain the lighter either in a horizontal position or in, a position with the terminals inclined downwardly.

Clearly the apparatus which has been described may be moved about the shop to any convenient position, takes up little room, and is perfectly safe so far as inadvertent contact with its terminais is concerned. The conductors l5, l5 may be attached to a single source of current and may be of sufficient length to permit any desired movement of the lighter. It may prove more convenient, however, to employ a shorter cable and provide a number of sockets about the shop at locations adjacent points at which a blowpipe may be used. In any case, thedetachable plug H may be used to connect the conductors I5, I 5 with the source of current.

The amount of current used in the-device will be exceedingly small, except during the short period of time when the secondary coil is short cii'cuited by the blowpipe tip. However, since a smallamount of current is necessarily consumed in the primary coil, even when the secondary circuit is open, it is preferred to connect the switch S in the circuit and to maintain this switch in open position except when a welding operation is being carried on.

Apparatus, constructed in accordance with the invention, is clearly portable, simple, and rugged. No special skill is required on the part of the blowpipe operator in order to ignite the blowpipe, since it is merely necessary for the operator to insert a blowpipe tip into the open end of the casing and press it inward as far as it will go. The apparatus is not easily damaged or unintentionally short circuited, and there is practically no danger from unprotected terminals.

The embodiment, which is here described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, is presented merely to indicate how the invention may be applied. Other forms, differing in detail but not in principle from that here disclosed, will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art I claim:

1. An electric igniter for blowpipes or the like comprising a casing open at one end and having perforations extending through the wall thereof a support of insulating material secured within said casing adjacent the open end thereof; a pair of metal angle bars wholly within said casing and adjacent said open end, said angle bars having apexes juxtaposed to provide a continuous narrow gap of uniform width throughout its length, one leg of each angle bar being secured to such insulating support and constituting an electric circuit terminal, the other legs of said angle bars diverging toward the open end of the casing to provide a trough within said casing adapted to guide a blowpipe tip into position to bridge said gap at any point lengthwise thereof; and an electric current converter within said casing behind said support and electrically connected to the circuit terminals; the perforations in said casing constituting ventilating means for said casing, to dissipate heat developed by said current converter and to permit the escape of gas discharged into the casing when said tip is inserted intosaid trough to ignite the gas discharging from said tip.

2. An electric lighter for blovlpipes as claimed in claim 1, in which said support of insulating material comprises a block closing the space along the inner side of said gap to provide a chamber to temporarily retain gas to be ignited.

3. An electric lighter for blowpipes as claimed in claim 1, in which the apexes of said angle bars are rounded to provide continuous smooth surfaces along said gap at both sides thereof.

4. An electric igniter for blowpipcs or the like comprising a casing open at one end and having perforations extending through the wall thereof; a block oi! insulating material secured within and spaced from the open end of said casing; a pair of spaced outwardly flaring oppositely disposed circuit terminals secured to said insulating block and disposed wholly within said casing, thereby providing a continuous narrow gap of uniform width; the outer extremities of said terminals being separated a distance substantially greater than the cross-sectional dimension of a blowpipe tip, and the flared portions thereof forming a trough to guide the tip into position to bridge said gap at any point lengthwise thereof; and an electric current converter within said casing behind said block and electrically connected to said terminals; the perforations in said casing constituting ventilating means for said casing, to dissipate heat developed 'by said current converter and to permit the escape of gas discharged into the casing when said tip is inserted into said trough to ignite the gas discharging therefrom.

5; An electric device for igniting gas diacharged under pressure from a blowplpe or the like, comprising a casing open at one end and having perforations extending through the wall thereof a support of insulating material muted within and spaced from the open and of said casing; spaced oppositely faced angle bars disposedwholly within said casing and mounted on said insulating support and provided with outwardly flaring flanges forming a trough-like guiding means having an entrance of substantially greater width than the cross-sectional dimension of a blowpipe tip for guiding the same toward a narrow constant width gap between said angle bars; said angle bars having rounded apexes which cooperate with said support to provide a chamber for temporarily retaining gas to be ignited; means for impressing a low potential relatively high current across the gap formed by said angle bars comprising a primary coil within said casing connected to a power source, and a secondary coil within said casing connected to said angle bars, whereby an intense arc is drawn between the angle bars and the blowpipe tip when same is withdrawn from gap-bridging engagement with said angle bars.

LLOYD W. YOUNG. 

